Star-Bulletin dominates with haul of 25 Pa‘i awards

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was voted tops in 10 categories and won a total of 25 awards in the Hawaii Publishers Association 2008 Pa'i Awards.

The Star-Bulletin collected more awards than any other publication at the annual presentation yesterday. Photographers collected eight awards, including two firsts to Jamm Aquino for art of the triumphant UH Warriors for Sports Photography and a bicyclist pedaling in a deep puddle for Feature Photography -- Newsprint.

Two first-place awards for Program Booklet and Special Section Excellence went to the special "Warriors Report" section on the champion University of Hawaii football team, a combined effort of several staff members. First-place honors went to news stories about the death of Don Ho by writers Gary Chun, John Berger and Robert Shikina for Spot News Reporting and coverage of the Hokule'a voyage to Micronesia by Gary T. Kubota, who rode along, for Editorial Series.

Other firsts went to graphic artist Kip Aoki for Excellence in Illustration -- Newsprint "Bustin the Broncos"; Kauai correspondent Tom Finnegan for a photo of a lone surfer defying the Hawaii Superferry for Spot News Photography; Cindy Russell for a fashion photography spread for Essay Photography -- Newsprint; and page designers Mike Rovner and Donica Kaneshiro for Excellence in Design -- Newsprint for "Winds of Change," a sports feature on the Trans-Pacific yacht race.

The Honolulu Advertiser won 17 awards, including first place for editorial column, breaking business news, editorial cartoon, informational graphics and investigative reporting.

First place: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, "A decision best left to consumers." Second place: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "Waikele beating does not meet hate-crime standard." Third place: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "He had magic."

First place: Hawaii Business, "The Line in the Sand." Second place: Hawaii Business, "A Blossoming Business." Third place: The Honolulu Advertiser, "Hawaiian Airlines vs Mesa Air Group."

Arts & Entertainment

First place: Hana Hou! "Bound for Glory." Second place: The Honolulu Advertiser, "Born to play Rafiki." Third place: Hana Hou! "Frond Embrace."

Breaking Business News

First place: The Honolulu Advertiser, "go! Rulings effect may be higher fares." Second place: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "Buyer of St. Francis hospitals laying off up to 150." Third place: Pacific Business News, "I.D. theft's 'gold mine' of mortgage files dumped in recycling bins."